Cssfounder.

com
Website for Everyone

Getting a Web Site Up and

Running

Lesson 2. Principles of Web Page Design

UNESCO ICTLIP Module 6. Lesson 1

What are the first steps in web page design?

What are the elements of a web page?
What are the guidelines for the design
elements of a web page?
What are some tips in web page creation
and design?
What are the guidelines for creating library
websites?
How to evaluate web sites?

UNESCO ICTLIP Module 6. Lesson 1

Identify the first steps in web page

design
Recognize the elements of a web page
Realize the dos and donts in web page
design
Apply guidelines in designing library web
sites
Evaluate web sites

UNESCO ICTLIP Module 6. Lesson 1

State your purpose/objective why build a

website for your library?
Determine your audience who are your
target audience?
Define the content what kind of
information will be provided on your site?
Identify the essential resources do you
have the budget, personnel, materials, time
and other resources?

UNESCO ICTLIP Module 6. Lesson 1

State your purpose

To publish online information about the library collections, services
To provide extension services user education,
reference services, tutorials
To act as a gateway to local and external
information resources on the Web library
catalog, online databases, e-journals
To serve as a communication tool - through email, instant messaging, and other similar
software
UNESCO ICTLIP Module 6. Lesson 1

Determine your audience

Who is your target audience? Students?
Faculty? Or staff?
What are their interests and needs?
Are they proficient in using technology
available in the library?
Do you have the equipment and materials
necessary to meet their needs?
What will they get from your site? Learn
anything or accomplish a task?
UNESCO ICTLIP Module 6. Lesson 1

Define the content

What kind of information will be provided on
your website?
Is it educational information or
entertainment?
Does the content meet the information
needs of your audience?
Is it relevant ? interesting?
Is it current and accurate?
Will web pages be effective in conveying and
distributing the information?
UNESCO ICTLIP Module 6. Lesson 1

Identify the essential resources

Do you have the managements support?
Is the allocated budget enough for the
creation and publishing of the web site?
Do you have the manpower?
Do the personnel involved in the project
have the needed expertise?
Are the necessary materials already
available?
What is your timeline for the creation of the
library web site?
UNESCO ICTLIP Module 6. Lesson 1

 Go

through the first steps in

web page design and answer
the initial questions discussed.
You can add more information
as you would like. Write them
down using the activity sheet
provided in this module.

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Title title of the web page

Web address URL of the page shown at the
browsers address box
Content information on the page - text, graphics
and other media types
Design style of the page, font, color, background,
visual elements
Structure layout of the page, title, headings, tables,
frames, navigational tools, footers
Hyperlinks links to related resources

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Document title
Address (URL)
Banner
Web page title

Navigational
tools
Search tool
Graphic elements
Hyperlinks

Table /
Navigational tools

Content
Hyperlinks
Frames
Footer /
Copyright
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Read these articles:

Anatomy of a Web Page
http://worldlinklearning.net/ei/mod0

10301.html/
Web

Page Elements

http://www.bilk.ac.uk/college/helpwe

b/familiar.htm

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Overall look of the web page the general

look or feel of the page (aesthetic value)
Content all the information contained within
the page I.e. text and other media types
embedded in the page
Navigational tools the text links, icons,
buttons, bars and other objects use for
exploring the page and any linked pages
Graphics the images other graphical
elements in the page
Page layout and structure organization of
the elements in the page

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Overall look

Match the purpose of the web site and its

appropriate information to the target
audience
Maintain consistency, clarity and
simplicity uniform color scheme
Use of colors, images, hyperlinks and web
technology effectively
Organize the design elements logically
and predictably

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Content

Match the purpose of the web site and its

appropriate information to the target
audience
Information organized logically and
predictably (text and other media types)
Ensure information is accurate, current,
relevant , useful complete, interesting,
unique
Employ a concise, easy to read writing style

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Navigational tools

Can be selected from text links, icons,

buttons, bars and other graphical elements
Organized them logically and predictably
Provide clear, quick and consistent method to
move within the site
Provide easy to use and find links
Should employ intuitive and descriptive
pointers
Help create the web sites identity

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Graphics
Appropriate, essential, and relevant to the
content of the page
Functional - serve a purpose and/or provide
information
Of size, quality and file format appropriate
for the page content
Used to add value to the overall design

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Page layout and structure

Follow the overall look guidelines

Take the technical elements into
consideration
descriptive file name
descriptive document title
complete contact information
effective use of tables and frames
browser compatibility

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Read this article:

Yale Style Manual
http://info.med.yale.edu/caim/manual/

Create a storyboard for your web

page, with a layout for each web page
Organize your web site illustrate the
structure of your site showing how the
pages are linked to each other

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Dos in web page design

Plan the web site structure and navigation

Keep the layout simple and intuitive
Use the same general style throughout
Add standard navigation tools to each
page
Include copyright and contact information
on each page

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Dos in web page design

Use original or free graphics

Use images wisely and keep file size small
for fast download
Respect copyright and intellectual
property rights
Always state the source of all materials
used
Spell check and proofread each page

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Donts in web page design

Dont crowd your pages balance text,
graphics and space
Dont overuse graphics, animations
and other bleeding edge technology
use them to support and enhance but
not to overpower your work
Dont use background that distracts
the user or makes text unreadable

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Donts in web page design

Dont use blinking or glowing text for

emphasis
Dont use long paragraphs of text
divide them into readable chunks
Dont create dead end pages, which
have no links to any other local page
in the site
Dont design for a specific browser

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Read the following articles:

Designing effective web pages

http://www.becta.org.uk/websiteawards/
effectivedesign.html
Indiana University: Basics of Web Design.
http://www.indiana.edu/~iuinfo/guides/
basics.html

Make a checklist regarding your librarys

web site what youll need and what
information youll provide
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Accuracy free from error and alteration

Authority credibility of author / publishing
body
Objectivity creators point of view / bias
Currency timeliness of information
Content scope and depth of material
Design style, structure, and functionality
Accessibility availability of the resources

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Accuracy
How reliable is the information?
Is it the original document?
Are there any errors or alterations on
the page?
Is there a way to verify authenticity of
the content?

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Authority
Who is the author?
Is the author credible?
Who is the publisher of the page?
Is it a reputable publishing body?

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Objectivity
From which point of view is the
information presented?
Does it show a minimum of bias?
Is it trying to sway opinion?
Is it in line with the aims or purpose of
the web site?

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Currency
Is the information dated?
Is it timely?
Is it up-to-date?
Are the links current and still
available?

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Content
What is the scope of the web site?
How in-depth are the materials?
Is it in line with the purpose of the
web site?
Does it provide meaningful and useful
information?
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Design
Does it follow the design principles?
Is the site easy to read and navigate?
Is there a balance between style and
functionality?

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Accessibility
Can it be viewed using different
browsers?
Does it require a special program to
read the content?
Is the information readily available on
the web site?

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Read the following articles:

ALAs Selection Criteria

http://www.ala.org/parentspage/greatsites/crit
eria.html
What makes a great web site?
http://webreference.com/greatsite.html

Visit and evaluate library web sites.

Choose which ones you could use as
models for your web site.
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